Breaking And Entering’s Five To Watch Powered by Reverbnation – April 2020

The world is in a very uncertain place right now. Normally, we’d be using this time to talk about the energy of spring, gearing up for a big summer full of festivals and fun. But as the world is confined to their homes for the next few weeks, there’s plenty of opportunity for bands to break through and get their music heard, as we’re all consuming more media than normal. With that in mind, here’s five acts with tremendous potential in this month’s Five To Watch, Powered by Reverbnation:

Undecided Future (Newport Beach, CA)As contemporary music becomes increasingly devoid of genre boundaries, acts like Undecided Future look to become more of what the “maintream” sound will ultimately become. The Orange County based band has a sound that incorporates parts of hip hop, pop, soul, and R&B. The band has played numerous venues, including Disney, the Honda Center in Anaheim, as well as concerts out of state as far as New York while developing their following. Songs like “McLovin” are merely a TikTok away from elevating this band’s status, and you’ll hear why when you check out the single below:

DD Allen (Bournemouth, England)If you’re looking for jangly guitars, indie rock sensibilities, and solid songwriting, English act DD Allen is a name that should be on your radar. On songs like “Bad Love”, there’s plenty that feels like it could be pulled from classic rock tracks, but given a fresh update to fit today’s audiences, with a charming vocal delivery that brings everything together. In many ways, it sounds like Allen could be the latest in a long list of English solo artists to captivate a world audience with just a straight up, no-frills-needed rock and roll collection of songs. Listen to “Bad Love” and see why:

Words Like Wildfire (Toronto, ON)Canadian metal act Words Like Wildfire have plenty of opportunity in front of them, with a sound that incorporates pop punk and emo elements to create a built in crossover appeal. Songs like “The Rain” are plenty powerful on their own, but there’s a sixth sense for melodies and layering that makes the band sound like it could easily be rocking amphitheaters around North America in the near future. For a generation of emo kids looking for the next names to carry the torch of their beloved genre, you could do much worse than Words Like Wildfire, who seem more than capable of keeping the spirit of the bands before them alive.

Meeks Major (Kingston, NY)There always seems to be a disconnect between substance and swagger in contemporary hip hop. However, artists like New York’s Meek Major seem to have the potential of filling that void, bringing thoughtful bars on tracks like “Situation”. There’s still lyrics about the girls and people hustling, but Meeks looks beyond that to stand out with his work ethic. While you might be drawn in by the hook, the verse is the standout point of Meeks Major as an artist.

Pipo Beats (Pasadena, CA)If you’re looking for an act that could get into a top-40 radio rotation right away, California’s Pipo Beats definitely is capable with songs like “Flawless”. Make no bones about it, the track is a party-ready cut, with clean guitars, hand claps and group vocals that feel like it should lead off any summer playlist. In many ways, it’s a timeless pop sound, but it works every time when it’s done correctly, and Pipo definitely has on this song. Jam out to “Flawless” below: